a couple of random questions

[DrKennethNoisewater]

okay. once i get some money together im going to get that. until than i just have to hope it lives. im on the poor side and some new IP meds are first in line. the puffs come before the plants!

[Reaperpilot2014]

That's the way it should be.

[RTR]

I use all Seachem supplements, but both/either brand will work.

[J-P]

depending on how cheap you want to go / how advanced you become, there is nothing wrong with starting off with a bottle (s) and moving up the chain to dry ferts. They are much cheaper and will last you much longer than any bottled product.

The pros: -You have complete control over what and how much goes into your system.
- You will save a tonne of $$ going this route.

The cons: -You have to premix the bottles and weigh out the ingredients yourself.
- You should really know your plants before going dry frets.

One of the tools used in dosing dry ferts is Tom Barr's EI (Estimative Indexing) method. It makes going this route MUCH easier.

[sevenyearnight]

I guess I'm going to stick with Seachem, my husband wasn't too keen on the Yamato shipping charge. Also he is the one that found the Big Al's site, he gets a little butt sore when he doesn't think he's helping.

[J-P]

I guess I'm going to stick with Seachem, my husband wasn't too keen on the Yamato shipping charge. Also he is the one that found the Big Al's site, he gets a little butt sore when he doesn't think he's helping.

no bottled product will allow you the flexibility of dry ferts.

Ask your hubby to check out hydroponic sources and compare the diff. 1 bottle vs 2+ years of dry.

For the OP:

do a quick search on the "Dutch nutrient formula" it comes in a 6 pack, but only 5 are needed for the aquarium.

[sevenyearnight]

I have dry ferts too, but I use comprehensive as my main supplement, and the guy I ordered my mono potassium phosphate from got in a wreck.
I have to order some other stuff from big al's, so the shopping is one shot. My husband doesn't do the ordering though, he's doesn't understand the fertilizers.

[RTR]

Actually, Seachem's individual supplements* do allow remarkable versatility, but they are more expensive by a non-trivial margin. I consider using the Seachem line-up a self indulgence, but worth it to me in time savings and ease of use. I do have decent balances and and powder papers, and weight sets (remember that I was a lab rat), but all of that is more hassle that I can do very well without.

*The Sechem line of solutions must be called supplements, because legally in the USA only N,P, & K are fertilizers. All the other required minerals are supplements. Here all ferts must have one to all three of the ferts, and must specify on the label in bold and larger type the N, P, K levels, even if one or more is just a zero.

HTH

[sevenyearnight]

Since I have potassium nitrate as a powder, I ordered the Comprehensive, Phosphate, and Potassium. I know they may cost more, but I like that they are designed for aquatic plants, most of those powdered mixes have been formulated for hydroponics.

[DrKennethNoisewater]

hey i posted this thread and i have no idea what any of you are talking about! haha way over my head. for what im looking for right now, and the amount of time/money i have to put in i cannot worry THAT much. i just have a few easy plants, and a bit of hair grass i want to see if it will grow. im off to a bad start i think planting in sand correct? after reading all of that maybe its a lost cause worrying about the grass... ntm my lights are not good enough i assume. i couldnt afford a good light form big als so i went to home depot and got a 4ft shop light and painted it black. it looks okay, but the bulbs are just florescent regular lights. i dont really have the money to throw around on all this stuff. and like i previously mentioned, IP meds are the first things on my list...

even though i REALLY want a planted tank....especially after videos like this have found their way to my monitor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAUlzyLLXrs

[sevenyearnight]

A shop light is fine, I have two over my 75 gallon. Home depot and Lowes sell T8, 6500K, 4 ft bulbs, and the 2 pack is around 7 dollars. It's what I use.
You could probably do just fine with Seachem Flourish Comprehensive and feed your fish well. The fishes' waste products should provide enough nitrogen in a low light tank.

[DrKennethNoisewater]

okay. have you ever used sand? do you think its alright for supporting dwarf hair grass??? its only about an inch thick, which i heard isnt good. i may after i get some funds together get a bag of something more plant friendly and just mix it with the sand. is that an alright idea???

[sevenyearnight]

I have a combination of sand, fluorite, floramax, mostly sand though. Here is a link with more information about this specific tank: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/yourt ... ew&id=2621

An inch is probably too shallow. How big is the tank? I have some swords I need to give away soon.

[RTR]

I do not like sand and rarely use it unless the specimen to be housed requires it.

I do not grow hair grass. It likes sand and needs needs balanced ferts and CO2 in my water, so I do not grow it. Too much trouble IMHO.

I do use home store "shoplight" style fixtures and the tubes as seven mentioned - lots of them. It works fine for me, but I only do those plants which for me are easy - I do planted FISH tanks. I do not any longer do PLANT tanks. There is a huge difference.

[DrKennethNoisewater]

syn - BEAUTIFUL TANK!!! i love the plant in the back left. thats a sword if im not mistaken... its a 65g and im having a really hard time filling it up with plants. maybe ill grab a bag of something else and mix it with the sand...

RTR - you find hair grass hard?? what foreground do you suggest? i really like grasses and mosses. hair grass is what i assumed most people used as it was the most readily available at big als. let me know!!! i want a low tech tank beautifully scaped with a full green covered substrate. and i am going to have a large school of rummynose in my tank along with my golden loach.